Selling a house can be a complicated process, even in the best of times. But in the spring of 2023, the market is especially volatile — and more than ever, it's important to understand what factors are going to affect your home's value and how you can position yourself to get the best price possible. If you're thinking about selling your home this spring, here are some things you should consider. Check out our detailed pdf and educate yourself.

1. Things To Consider When
Selling Your House
SPRING 2023
EDITION
Tammy Jackson
Managing Broker
KM Realty Group, LLC
Chicago, IL
info@kmrealtygroup.net
KMRealtyGroup.net
(312) 283-0794

2. Table of Contents
3 Should I Sell My House This Spring?
6 What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and
Home Prices?
8 Number of Homes for Sale Up, but Below
Pre-Pandemic Years
10 Top Reasons Homeowners Are Selling
12 Today’s Homeowners Still Have Positive
Equity Gains
15 Want To Sell Your House? Price It Right.
18 An Expert Makes All the Difference When
You Sell
21 A Checklist for Selling Your House
22 Reasons To Hire a Real
Estate Professional

3. 3
1. Should I Wait To Sell?
There are more homes for sale today than there were at this time last year, but it’s important to
keep in mind there are still fewer homes available than there were before the pandemic. So,
selling while inventory is low means if you price your house right, it is likely to be in high demand.
That means you can take advantage of more options for your move and list your house in a true
sweet spot. The graph below puts today’s inventory into perspective.
There’s a lot going on in the housing market this season, and you may have
some questions about selling your house. Here are a few of the top things you
may be wondering about, and the answers that can help you make a confident,
informed decision.
Should I Sell My House This Spring?
0
1
2
3
4
5
January
2018
January
2019
January
2020
January
2021
January
2022
January
2023
Months’ Supply of Homes for Sale
Source: NAR

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Bottom Line
If you’re thinking about selling your house this spring, let’s connect so you have the
expert insights you need to make the best possible move today.
2. Are Buyers Still out There?
If you’re thinking of selling your house but worry buyer demand is disappearing in the face of
higher mortgage rates, you should know that isn’t the case for everyone. Mark Fleming, Chief
Economist at First American, explains:
“The housing market, once adjusted to the new normal of higher mortgage rates, will
benefit from continued strong demographic-driven demand relative to an overall,
long-run shortage of supply.”
If you’re wondering if buyers are still out there, know there are still people searching for a
home to buy. And your house may be exactly what they’re looking for.
3. Can I Still Get a Good Price for My House?
Home price growth has moderated in recent months as buyer demand has pulled back in
response to higher mortgage rates. While home prices in some local markets may have declined
slightly, national home values are still up compared to this time last year.
While it is slowing, today’s annual rate of price appreciation is still above the rate of growth we
saw during more normal years in the market. So, even though the average home isn’t growing in
value as fast as it did a year ago, you can still sell with confidence this season.

5. . . . sellers can have success in this market
as long as they approach with reasonable
expectations that are very different from
what was the norm less than a year ago.
- Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com
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6. 6
Mortgage Rates Will Continue To Respond to Inflation
Last year, mortgage rates more than doubled within the calendar year. That’s never
happened before, and the rapid rise caused many buyers to put their plans on hold.
Today, rates are still quite volatile. With experts projecting rates will stabilize this year,
that could be good news for you as it may mean more buyers jumping back into the
market. And any drop in interest rates would boost your purchasing power for your next
home by bringing your expected monthly mortgage payment down.
But you shouldn’t expect them to drop all the way to the record lows we saw in 2021.
Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, explains:
“I think we could be surprised at how much mortgage rates pull back this year.
But we’re not going back to 3 percent anytime soon, because inflation is not
going back to 2 percent anytime soon.”
As you make plans to sell your house and move this spring, you may be thinking
about what lies ahead for mortgage rates and home prices. Here’s a look at
expert insights on where both may be headed so you can make the most
informed decision possible.
What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates
and Home Prices?

7. 7
Bottom Line
If you want to know what’s happening in the market, let’s connect so you have the
latest on what experts are saying and what that means for our area this spring.
Home Prices Will Remain Relatively Flat
Homes prices will always be defined by supply and demand. When there are more buyers than
homes on the market, home prices will rise. And that’s exactly what we saw during the pandemic.
But things have changed. We’ve seen home prices moderate and housing supply grow as buyer
demand pulled back due to higher mortgage rates last year. The level of moderation has varied by
local area – with the biggest changes happening in overheated markets. But do experts think that
will continue?
The graph below shows the latest national home price forecasts. As the different colored bars
indicate, some experts are saying home prices will appreciate this year, and others are saying
home prices will come down. But again, if we take the average of all the forecasts (shown in gray),
we can get a feel for what 2023 may hold.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. That means nationally, we’ll likely see relatively flat
or neutral appreciation. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of
Realtors (NAR), says:
“After a big boom over the past two years, there will essentially be no change
nationally . . . Half of the country may experience small price gains, while the other half may
see slight price declines.”
-0.3%
5.4%
-0.6%
-1.6%
-4.2%
realtor.com
Home Price Forecasts for 2023
Fannie Mae
NAR
MBA
Average of All
4 Forecasts

8. 8
There aren’t enough homes for sale today to meet buyer demand. This spring
could be the ideal time to make a move if you’ve been thinking about selling
your house.
The biggest challenge in the housing market right now, and likely for years to come, is how few
homes there are for sale compared to the number of people who want to buy. That’s why, if you’re
thinking about selling your house, now is a great time to do so. Your house would be welcome in a
market that has fewer homes for sale than it did in the years leading up to the pandemic.
According to realtor.com:
“While the number of homes for sale is increasing, it is still 43.2% lower than it was
before the pandemic in 2017 to 2019. This means that there are still fewer homes
available to buy on a typical day than there were a few years ago.”
The graph below shows how today’s inventory of homes for sale compares to recent years:
Number of Homes for Sale Up, but
Below Pre-Pandemic Years
C
Active Monthly Listing Counts
Last 6 Januarys
Source: realtor.com
1,042,660
1,109,507
953,045
532,603
378,189
625,875
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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Bottom Line
The housing market needs more
homes for sale to meet the demand
from today’s buyers. If you’ve
thought about selling, now’s the
time to get ready to make a move
this spring.
What Does This Mean for You?
Fewer homes for sale than we had before
the pandemic means buyers have fewer
choices—and that frustration is leading
some to give up on the homebuying
process altogether. But with mortgage
rates sitting lower than they were at their
peak last fall, more buyers are willing to
come back into the process now—they
just need to find homes to buy. This is
welcome activity for the spring market,
especially if you’re thinking of selling
your house.
With many people finding a renewed
interest in buying a home, the New York
Times (NYT) reports:
“Home buyers are edging back into
the market after being sidelined
last year. . .”
So, if you want to take advantage of a
sweet spot in the market, this spring could
be your shot.

10. Many of today’s homeowners bought or refinanced their homes during the pandemic
when mortgage rates were at history-making lows. Since rates doubled in 2022, some
of those homeowners put their plans to move on hold, not wanting to lose the low
mortgage rate they have on their current house. And while today’s rates have started
coming down from last year’s peak, they’re still higher than they were a couple of
years ago.
Today, 93% of outstanding mortgages have a rate at or below 6%. That means a strong
majority of homeowners with mortgages have a rate below what they’d get if they
moved right now. But if you’re a homeowner in that position, remember that mortgage
rates aren’t the only thing to consider when making a move. Your mortgage rate is
important, but there are plenty of reasons you may still need or want to move.
RealTrends explains:
“The most common sellers will be: Homeowners downsizing . . . people moving
to get more space, families looking for better schools…etc.”
10
You have a lot to consider when thinking about moving. While mortgage rates
and wealth building are important, there are plenty of non-financial reasons to
factor in too.
Top Reasons Homeowners
Are Selling

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Bottom Line
When deciding whether or not to move, you have a lot to consider. There are plenty of
non-financial reasons to factor in. Let’s connect so I can help you weigh the benefits of
selling your house.
As the visual shows, the most commonly cited reasons for selling were the desire to
move closer to loved ones, followed by moving due to retirement. Additionally, the need
for more space factored in, as did a change in household structure.
If you want a change in location or need space your current house just can’t
provide, it may be time to sell.
What you want and need in a home can be reason enough to move. To find out what’s
right for you, work with a trusted real estate professional who will offer advice and
expert guidance throughout the process. They’ll be able to lay out all your options –
giving you what you need to make a confident decision.
So, if you’re on the fence about selling your house, consider the other reasons
homeowners like you are choosing to make a move. A recent report from the National
Association of Realtors (NAR) breaks down why homeowners have decided to sell over
the past year:
21% 11% 10% 9%
Change of structure
in household
House is
too small
Want to move closer
to loved ones
Moving due to
retirement

12. If you’re a homeowner, your net worth got a big boost over the past few years
thanks to rapidly rising home prices. Here’s how it happened and what it means
for you, even as the market moderates.
12
Today’s Homeowners Still
Have Positive Equity Gains
Why Your Equity Has Grown in
Recent Years
Because of the imbalance between how
many homes were for sale and the number of
homebuyers over the past few years, home
prices appreciated substantially.
And while home price appreciation has
moderated, and even depreciated slightly in
some markets, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost
all the equity you gained.
In fact, Homeowner Equity Insights from
CoreLogic finds the average homeowner’s
equity has grown by $34,300 over the past
year alone.
And if you’ve been in your home for longer
than a year, chances are you have even more
equity than you realize.
What Is Home Equity?
Equity is the current value of
your home minus what you owe
on the loan.
Over time, you build equity as you
make your monthly mortgage
payments and as home prices
appreciate. It works like this:

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Bottom Line
If you’re planning to make a move, the equity you’ve gained over time can make a big
impact. To find out just how much equity you have in your current home and how you
can use it to fuel your next purchase, let’s connect.
Why This Is So Important Right Now
While equity helps increase your overall net worth, it can also help you achieve other goals, like
buying your next home. When you sell your current house, the equity you’ve built up comes back
to you in the sale, and it may be just what you need to cover a large portion – if not all – of the
down payment of your next home.
So, if you’ve been holding off on selling, rest assured you’ve gained equity in recent years, and it
can help fuel your move.
While that’s the national number, if you want to know what happened over the past five years in
our area, look at the map below from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). It shows how
much home prices have risen recently, and that’s been a major driver behind equity growth.
Percent Change in Home Prices
Over 5 Years, Q4 2022
Source: FHFA

14. Potential home sellers gained significant
amounts of equity over the pandemic, so
even as affordability-constrained buyer
demand spurs price declines in some
markets, potential sellers are unlikely to
lose all that they have gained.
- Mark Fleming, Chief Economist, First American
14

15. 15
Last year, the housing market slowed down in response to higher mortgage
rates, and that had an impact on home prices. If you’re thinking of selling your
house soon, that means you’ll want to adjust your expectations accordingly.
Want To Sell Your House?
Price It Right.
In a more moderate market, how you price your house will make a big difference to
not only your bottom line, but to how quickly your house could sell. And the reality is,
homes that are priced right are still selling in today’s market. As realtor.com explains:
“. . . some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers
might wish to adjust accordingly to get the best deal possible.”
Why Pricing Your House at Market Value Matters
Especially today, your asking price sends a message to potential buyers.
If it’s priced too low, you may leave money on the table. It could also discourage
buyers who may see a lower-than-expected price tag and wonder if that means
something is wrong with the home.

16. 16
Bottom Line
Homes that are priced at current market value are still selling. To make sure you price
your house appropriately, maximize your sales potential, and minimize your hassle,
let’s connect.
If it’s priced too high, you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may
have to lower the price to try to reignite interest in your house when it sits on the market
for a while. On the other hand, be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag by
some buyers who will wonder what that means about the home.
To avoid either headache, price it right from the start. A real estate professional
knows how to determine the ideal asking price. They balance the value of homes in
your neighborhood, current market trends, buyer demand, the condition of your house,
and more to find the right price. This helps lead to stronger offers and a greater
likelihood your house will sell quickly.
The visual below helps summarize the impact your asking price can have:
Greg McBride, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, also
gives this advice:
“Price your home realistically. . . . Appropriately priced homes are still
selling quickly.”

17. If it’s a good home in the resale market, it’s
selling quickly. The buyer who is buying
today is not the same buyer buying 12
months ago. If [they’re] paying this much,
it needs to be a nice home.
- Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, Zonda
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18. 18
1. We’re Experts on Market Trends
Leslie Rouda Smith, 2022 President of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains:
“During challenging and changing market conditions, one thing that’s calming and constant
is the assurance that comes from a Realtor® being in your corner through every step of
the home transaction. Consumers can rely on Realtors®’ unmatched work ethic,
trusted guidance and objectivity to help manage the complexities associated with
the home buying and selling process.”
An expert real estate advisor has the latest information about national trends and your local area
too. More importantly, they’ll know what all of this means for you, so they’ll be able to help you
make a decision based on trustworthy, data-bound information.
2. A Local Professional Knows How To Set the Right Price for Your Home
Home price appreciation has moderated this year. If you sell your house on your own, you may
be more likely to overshoot your asking price because you’re not as aware of where prices are
today. Pricing your house too high can deter buyers or cause your house to sit on the market
for longer.
Real estate professionals look at a variety of factors, like the condition of your home and any
upgrades you’ve made, with an unbiased eye. They compare your house to recently sold homes
in your area to find the best price for today’s market, so your house sells quickly.
If you’re thinking of selling your house, it’s important to work with someone
who understands how the market is changing and what it means for you. Here
are five reasons working with a professional can ensure you’ll get the most out
of your sale.
An Expert Makes All the Difference
When You Sell

19. 19
3. A Real Estate Advisor Helps Maximize Your Pool of Buyers
Since buyer demand has cooled this year, you’ll want to do what you can to help bring in more
buyers. Real estate professionals have a wide range of tools at their disposal, such as social
media followers, agency resources, and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to ensure your house
gets in front of people looking to make a purchase. Investopedia explains why it’s risky to sell on
your own without the network an agent provides:
“You don’t have relationships with clients, other agents, or a real estate agency to bring
the largest pool of potential buyers to your home.”
Without access to your agent’s tools and marketing expertise, your buyer pool – and your home’s
selling potential – is limited.
4. A Real Estate Expert Will Read – and Understand – the Fine Print
Today, more disclosures and regulations are mandatory when selling a house. That means the
number of legal documents you’ll need to juggle is growing. NAR explains it like this:
“There’s a lot of jargon involved in a real estate transaction; you want to work with a
professional who can speak the language.”
5. A Local Professional Is a Skilled Negotiator
In today’s market, buyers are regaining some negotiation power. If you sell without an expert,
you’ll be responsible for any back-and-forth. That means you’ll have to coordinate with:
The buyer, who wants the best deal possible
The buyer’s agent, who will use their expertise to advocate for
the buyer
The inspection company, which works for the buyer and will
almost always find concerns with the house
The appraiser, who assesses the property’s value to protect
the lender
Instead of going toe-to-toe with these parties alone, lean on an expert. They’ll know what levers
to pull, how to address everyone’s concerns, and when you may want to get a second opinion.
Bottom Line
Don’t go at it alone. If you’re planning to sell your house this spring, let’s connect so
you have an expert by your side to guide you in today’s market.

20. If you’re getting ready to sell your house,
you may want to make some repairs and
upgrades so your property makes a great
impression on buyers.
- realtor.com
20

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22. 22

23. “Because your home is probably the
biggest asset you have, it’s important
to lean on your real estate agent for
your next step. Their experience and
knowledge of your local market
conditions and personal/financial
goals are key. Let them guide you.”
- Freddie Mac
23

24. Let's Chat.
I'm sure you have questions and thoughts about the
real estate process.
I'd love to talk with you about what you've read here and help you on
the path to selling your house. My contact information is below, and I
look forward to working with you.
Tammy Jackson
Managing Broker
MBE/WBE, BS, MS
KM Realty Group, LLC
Chicago, IL
info@kmrealtygroup.net
KMRealtyGroup.net
(312) 283-0794
SPRING 2023 EDITION